Dancing in the Dark
by bonnysammy
Summary: Bella is a sucess in her life--Well her business life. Her love life? No. Enter a familiar face from the past. Will she allow the smoldering remains to become a pyre to her bitterness? We all know you can't start a fire without a spark. My Twilight 25.
1. Chapter 1 Alone

**The Twilight Twenty-five**

**Prompt:** Alone

**Pen name:** bonnysammy

**Pairing:** Edward/Bella

**Rating:** M

A\N:

This is the first chapter in my Twilight 25 submission. Only this chapter will be in present tense--explanation later.

Thanks to my betas from Project Team Beta--SayGoodbyeAgain, Jessica0306, and BookGeek80. You guys are unbelievable for working with me on this.

I hope everyone enjoys this little strory and as you can guess, it will only be 25 chapters long.

I do not own any of these characters, or the original plot to the Twilight Series. Everything publicly recognizable belongs to their owners. I am doing this only for the pleasure I gain from writing and I am not associated with anyone or anything to do with the Twilight Series. There is no financial benefit, whatsoever, though I may wish there were.

* * *

Dancing in the Dark

Chapter 1 - Alone

I'm not one who usually gauges my success by who I'm currently dating. I don't need to be in a relationship to feel fulfilled in my life. Hell, I haven't even been in a true relationship, at least one that was meaningful, since I was eighteen. Instead, I have opted for taking the career route, dedicating my life to bettering myself through my job. I have met many of my life's goals, and my path for the rest looks clear. I am on a one way trip to self-fulfillment, a truly successful woman in a male-dominated career. That should be enough, shouldn't it?

So, why is it that I sit here on New Year's Eve, surrounded by my closest friends – all couples – feeling completely and utterly distanced and alone? I don't need a man to define myself, yet I miss the intimacy and partnership of a relationship. I miss the loving caresses and shared inside jokes I see displayed before me every time I look around. The sly looks shot across the room between partners, the grins that spread across their faces when their significant other returns the sentiment; these things are not lost on me. Each one is another punch into my heart, another jab at my lessening self esteem. I want to be a girlfriend; I want to be attached.

I'm sure Jasper, my oldest and closest friend, has picked up on the fact that I've been moping all night – all day, all year, all decade. He always knows when something is not quite right, and for me, something has not been right for a long time. I rarely let anyone see this side of me. I rather prefer hiding behind my mask of fake self-confidence. I figure that the alcohol in my system and being trapped in a small room with loving couples has just brought it to the forefront tonight.

Jasper has shot me furtive glances all night long, even going so far as to try to broach the subject on a few occasions. Luckily, I've been able to avoid the unwanted conversation by feigning thirst, or using my ultimate weapon, the bathroom – only a stalker follows a woman there. Finally after several successful attempts at evasion, I am cornered between two of our friends. Ever the strategist, he senses from across the room that I am trapped, and he breaks from his girlfriend's embrace to come over to me. I guess I've been morose long enough, and I'll now have to pay for my melancholy.

_Damn. Caught._

"What's wrong, sweetheart?" he asks, turning on his southern charm. I look into his stunning blue eyes. "You look like you wish you could be anywhere but here."

"You know how it is, Jazz," I answer. "I love being with you guys. I'm just worrying about work. There's so much in the next month that's almost make or break for the company. My job's probably on the line. I can't afford my lavish lifestyle without it." I lie unconvincingly. We live in a tiny apartment, and I have nothing of extravagance. He shakes his head, a tight, unhappy smile playing across his lips.

When I think about the real issue, my loneliness, my words ring false. Jasper really doesn't know how it is. He and Alice have been a couple since forever. They met on the first day of orientation in college and have been inseparable since then, having finally culminated their relationship in a wedding ceremony a few years ago.

Before that, Jasper had been with Maria. Though they had been together since elementary school, they had a twisted relationship that I wasn't sorry to see end with high school. She was always using him, using his kind nature and charismatic personality to her advantage. She lost many friends when she called it quits, though they had probably never really been her friends to begin with.

The fact is that Jasper has never been alone. Sure, there were the brief months between high school and college where he only dated casually, but he has never been on his own for years, not like I had. When he met Alice, I knew he was lost to her. She was his soul's mate, his perfect match in every way. I had been happy for him at the time and through most of their relationship. Now, I'm jealous over what I don't have.

"Don't give me bull, Bells," he retorts, pulling me back to our conversation. He leans in slightly, staring at me with his penetrating eyes, willing me to breakdown and tell the truth. The man has a way of convince me to spill my guts with just a look – well, it's not just me, he does it to everyone. "I can tell when your emotions are all over the place. You've been up and down all night. Mostly down. What's going on?"

"I'm just..."--My mind reels with unanswered questions. Do I tell him the truth or try to play it off again? Will he understand my feelings? Will he think I'm being weak? I give in. "... lonely is all." I motioned to the room. "You guys... you, Alice, Em, Rose, Peter, Charlotte, everyone here has someone else. I've been by myself for ten years. Ten years, Jazz. It takes its toll, you know?"

"Bella," he begins, his voice now soothing, his eyes softening. "You have _not_ been single for ten years. You've dated lots of guys. You just haven't found the right one. I mean, there was that guy last year. What about... James?"

James? What about James? We had gone on a few dates over a couple of months last year. He wasn't for me, too controlling, too possessive; dating me was a power trip to him. I was more of an object to own, display and dominate, rather than an equal. James was definitely not what I was looking for in a relationship. When he had forced me to lie to my friends about his true nature, telling them that I wanted him to treat me as a possession, I cut it off. I may be lonely, but I'm not that desperate. I never let my friends know the real reason for the breakup; I was too embarrassed.

"James. Yeah, well that was only a few dates—hardly a commitment."

He looks at me, his eyes piercing into my psyche, his eyebrows raised. Yet again it's obvious he knows there's more to that relationship than I will ever let on, but he has never pressed that fact and thankfully, he doesn't start now.

"That's it," he states, then turns to the crowd in our living room. "We're not gonna spend our New Year's Eve holed up in this crappy place. Let's go to Senior's."

He shoots Alice a pointed look. Her eyes slide to mine and grow far away, like she is trying to interpret his gesture. Then, she jumps from her chair and claps her hands.

"Yes, Jazzy," she chirps, shooting me an oddly mischievous grin. "C'mon, guys. We've spent enough time here. Let's go out."

_Great_. We're going to a bar on New Year's Eve. What I've always wanted. Me. With three couples. In a location that's bound to be too tiny, over-crowded by insanely drunk people, and guys looking to get laid. I'll be the only bait. _That's_ not going to be awkward, not at all.

* * *

End Notes:

I hope you liked it. I have a few more chapters just waiting to be beta'd, so I should be posting them soon. If you liked it, please let me know.

As mentioned above, the rest of this story will not be in present. That was just to set the scene, to show that she _is_ lonely. Let me tell you, writing in present, when you're use to past, is a real PIA. :)

Since this is for Twilight 25, it will be 25 chapters long (I've already written 24 and 25! I'm working backwards! lol) and it will be finished before April--well, that's my intention. Chapter 2 is in the hands of my lovely betas and should come relatively soon.


	2. Chapter 2 Apathy

**The Twilight Twenty-five**

**Prompt:** Apathy

**Pen name:** bonnysammy

**Pairing:** Edward/Bella

**Rating:** M

A\N:

We're done with the present tense--Thank Heaven.

Thanks to my betas from Project Team Beta--SayGoodbyeAgain, Jessica0306, and BookGeek80. You guys are unbelievable for working with me on this.

I hope you enjoy.

I do not own any of these characters, or the original plot to the Twilight Series. Everything publicly recognizable belongs to their owners. I am doing this only for the pleasure I gain from writing and I am not associated with anyone or anything to do with the Twilight Series. There is no financial benefit, whatsoever, though I may wish there were.

* * *

Apathy

"Come _on_, Alice," I whined, trying to annoy her to the point where she left me alone. I'd attempted this tactic with everyone for at least five minutes—I wanted to convince them all to let me stay alone at the apartment. They'd all given up, all but persistent little Alice. Unfortunately, she wouldn't let anyone else leave, either.

"Do I _have_ to go?" I tried the nasal sound once again, hoping my whine would have the desired effect. "I'd rather sit here and watch the ball drop three hours early, then call it a night."

"I don't think so, young lady," she chided me, channeling her maternal tone. She always did this when she wanted to get me to do something I didn't want to. I bristled slightly at being treated like a child but knew that my battle was already lost—I always gave in to this treatment.

"Don't talk to me like that, Alice," I said, acidly. "I don't _want_ to go. I don't _need_ to go. It's going to be overcrowded with piss drunk guys who want nothing but a one night-stand. I don't _want_ and don't _need_ that."

I crossed my arms, trying to make my point, but I was sure I just reinforced the petulant child she seemed to think she was scolding.

"Bells, you seriously need to get laid," she quipped and then laughed. To add to my childishness, I rolled my eyes at her. "Now, you know I don't condone promiscuity, but maybe going out tonight and getting a little freaky with a guy is just what you want _and_ what you need. Have you even _been_ with a guy since James?" She winked at me, letting me know she was teasing.

I sighed and looked away, annoyed with her all too close to home assessment of my love life. I hadn't been with a guy since James. In fact, I hadn't even been with James, but I wasn't going to open that can of worms. I hadn't slept with a guy since my steady boyfriend in high school—it'd been a long ten years. If the opportunity ever arose again, I wasn't sure I'd even know what to do beyond the simple mechanics of 'insert tab A in slot B.'

Besides, sex didn't mean to me what it meant to most people. It wasn't necessarily pleasant. Of course the actual act was. It was the aftermath I could live without. That first experience had been the beginning of the end of my relationship, the nail in it's coffin. Talk about having a skeleton in my closet _that_ gave me low self-esteem.

Though he'd never said the words, my mind didn't need to hear them to understand the sentiment.

_I just lost my virginity to you, and I don't want to be together anymore, even though we've dated for three years. _

_I've never been with anyone before, and I wasted my first time on _you_. _

That led to my life of self-imposed celibacy, my drive to push myself, prove myself to my male counterparts. Don't get me wrong. I'd had plenty of guys willing to take that step, but I'd been too afraid of the inevitable rejection to even try.

"You need to get out, honey," she pleaded. "You can't sit around here and mope, tonight of all nights. I mean, I don't expect you to go off with some guy and just hop into his bed. Please, I know you better than that." Her eyes were wide, begging me to join them. "You've gotta come. Maybe you'll find someone to kiss at midnight at least."

"Fine, I'll go," I huffed. "But don't expect me to like it. I'm being taken under duress because I know if I don't pretend to go willingly, you'll just bring out the shackles and drag me there."

She giggled. "Knew you'd go!" The couch groaned as she sprang up and shot across the room to Jasper, barely containing her victory leaps. "She's gonna come, Jazz!" she squealed. I could've sworn that I saw her uncharacteristically shoot him a thumbs up, but she moved so quickly that her gesture was hidden before I could be sure. I couldn't really be bothered to wonder about that, though.

I had lied to Alice when I said I was annoyed at the prospect of going to the local bar. Actually, after my moping around today, the alcohol I had ingested was finally starting to take effect. The numb feeling of nothingness began spreading throughout my body. I welcomed the emptiness; it was an old friend, a comfort, since it was how I felt most of the time.

I walked to the closet and grabbed my coat, shooting death glares at Alice, and letting her know to leave me alone regarding my fashion choices. I really couldn't be bothered; I wasn't going to even try to clean myself up. I was presentable enough and had no one to impress. In any case, I really didn't want to impress anyone. I'd much rather go unnoticed, sit back by myself and allow the hollow feeling to cover me, taking away the loneliness.

The walk to Senior's was quick. I had only been here a couple of times since we moved to the area, mostly to grab either Alice or Jasper out of the place. I'd never spent enough time there to actually have had a drink. I never wanted to socialize. When we got there the place was packed, just as I'd expected.

Fortunately, a table was already available for us because Jasper had the foresight to call ahead and let them know we were coming. Apparently, Jasper knew the owner of the place, a fact that should have been a slight shock to or a red flag for me. But there was no way something so minor couldn't penetrate my carefully constructed mask of apathy; I was glad to use it as a shield from the outside world.

The bar wasn't exactly what I'd expected from my brief glances, it more like a restaurant that also housed a bar. Our table was in the back corner, the farthest away from the actual bar, which was situated near the entrance.

On a normal night, there would have been more than enough space to make our way through on the path between the dance floor and the bar. That was not the case tonight. The usually empty wooden dance floor was so packed that people spilled across the walkway and up to the bar. I stumbled my way between the closely pressed, gyrating bodies on the dance floor and those waiting for drinks at the bar, annoyance gaining ground as I willed my cocoon of apathy to enclose me again.

Finally, we made it back to our assigned table. Jasper insisted that I sit next to him in the only seat facing away from the bar. He said it would be better for me to sit in a real chair rather than huddle with everyone in a booth. His kind gesture seemed false, contrived. I had seen him and Alice exchange multiple looks that told me there was much more going on than I had originally thought. I was beginning to think that coming out to this bar was not the spur-of-the-moment act it had seemed.

My temper flared, and I again beat it back, moderating it slightly to speak to Jasper.

"All right," I said, glaring at him. "Why the desire to come here? I'm pretty certain that the decision was made long before ten minutes ago. Why'd you guys lie?"

He gulped and looked nervously at Alice. I wondered if I'd said that too harshly. I mean, sure I was irritated at the subterfuge they'd employed to get me here, but I hadn't ripped his head off or anything.

"Um, Bells, please just keep an open mind," he stammered. Jasper was always calm, cool and collected; he never stammered.

_This was _not_ going to be good_.

"What the hell is going on, Jazz?" I growled. I didn't take the time to think that I could've been overreacting. It was obvious that he had conspired with everyone else just to get me here.

Were they trying something ridiculous like setting me up on a blind date?

"Well, Bells," he began, "you've been so down lately. And I'm pretty sure I know why-"

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Alice whip her head to the side, her gasp audible even over the cacophony in the bar. Her face broke into a wide, smug grin. In order to see what her wide eyes had landed on, I turned to look behind me.

The crowd had parted just enough that I was able to get a quick glimpse at the bar. The bartender stood with his back to us. He had a perfect body, visible even clothed in a tight shirt. His dark hair was messy, but not in a contrived manner. It looked unruly by nature. My eyes locked on him, completely unable to look away, compelled to see his face. Just then, almost like he'd heard my thoughts, he turned around.

_Oh. My. God!_

* * *

End Notes:

Thanks for reading. I hope you liked it.

The Indie TwiFic Awards are taking nominations now. I'm not asking you to nominate anything of mine, just letting you know so you can nominate your favorite lesser known fics. That being said, I still haven't nominated my fav's, yet. I've got to get my act together and get to it! Thank god I have until the 28th. There's so many good fics out there. :D

http://www(dot)theindietwificawards(dot)com/ 


	3. Chapter 3 Awe

**The Twilight Twenty-five**

**Prompt:** Awe

**Pen name:** bonnysammy

**Pairing:** Edward/Bella

**Rating:** M

A\N:

Thanks to my betas from Project Team Beta--SayGoodbyeAgain, Jessica0306, and BookGeek80. You guys are unbelievable for working with me on this. (If there are any parts that are questionable about the storyline or wording, my beta who is below age does not get to see it. So she does a great job with the info she gets)

I hope you enjoy.

I do not own any of these characters, or the original plot to the Twilight Series. Everything publicly recognizable belongs to their owners. I am doing this only for the pleasure I gain from writing and I am not associated with anyone or anything to do with the Twilight Series. There is no financial benefit, whatsoever, though I may wish there were.

3 – Awe

No one thousand words could have adequately described this picture. He was gorgeous. Well, from what I could make of him across the crowded, smoky room, he was gorgeous. All chiseled and toned. Not too muscled–like Emmett–just perfect. It looked like he had the classic features usually seen on an ancient statue. In fact, the word spectacular sprang to mind. My thoughts were full of awe at the true perfection standing not one hundred feet before me. It should be downright illegal to look that good.

I hadn't reacted like this to a guy in years. In fact, there had only ever been one who had caused the butterflies to flutter in my stomach, and I hadn't seen him in a long time. The last time we'd been face to face was the most painful memory I carried with me. That was the moment that continued to rip me apart for years. The reality I'd never admit to anyone else was that I'd never fully recovered.

But I wouldn't let myself go down that path; I was good at the pretense that I was over him. I would keep that up, quash the negative emotions and maintain the façade that I'd long since forgotten about _him_.

Besides, this guy before me was looking _mighty_ fine. Maybe I really was over my stupid, self-absorbed, melodramatic first love. Judging by the desire running through me at that very moment, I _definitely_ was.

_Quit fooling yourself_, a tiny voiced called from the back of my mind. My lingering lack of self-confidence was a remnant from my teenage years that only appeared to rear its ugly head at times like these. I fought it back, refusing to allow it to manifest.

That was it, I decided. I was going to end the year with a bang. I would go up to Hot Bartender Guy and introduce myself before the stroke of midnight. Maybe I'd be lucky, and there would be some sort of spark. Either way, I'd feel like I'd accomplished something at least. I would have taken the initiative to push myself and speak to a gorgeous man, certainly something I'd never done.

Of course, I'd probably just blunder and babble my way through any possible conversation, but I wouldn't let that deter me. He was exceptional and trapped. It would be well worth the embarrassment of being shot down on New Year's Eve. I stared at his chest, trying to picture him without the pesky obstruction of clothing. I could picture the sculpted muscles of his chest moving—

"Hey, Bella," Jasper yelled while shaking my shoulder. "Come back to reality, sweetheart."

"Huh?" I asked stupidly. I hadn't had that much to drink at the apartment, so I wondered why I was acting like such an idiot. I turned toward him to see a cocky grin on his face. "What's up?"

He pointed to the girl standing next to him.

"Do you want to order anything?" he asked slowly, like he was talking to a child.

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, I'll have a whiskey sour, please," I told the waitress.

I was obviously the only one who hadn't ordered as she left after noting my request.

"Are you sure that's the only thing you want?" Jasper asked, unable to contain his chuckles.

"Um... no," I replied. "I want to get some liquid courage so I can talk to Hot Bartender Guy over there." I nodded my head quickly in the direction of the bar.

"Really?" Alice asked, joining in the conversation. "You think he's hot?" The look on her face frightened me. She was clearly scheming about something. I hated that look; it always seemed to involve me doing something I didn't want to do.

"Listen, whatever you've got going on in your pretty little head," I started, "get it out, now. I'm handling this. I'm going to—"

"Handling this?" Alice rebuked. "You never handle any—Wait. Were you going to say that you were going to go up to him on your own?" Her normally high pitched voice rose a few octaves, into a territory that was nearing one most likely only audible to dogs.

"Yes, Alice," I sighed, now that I was backed into a corner. "Let me have a couple of drinks, and then I'll go talk to him. I'm not promising anything, just that I'll talk to him. All right?"

"Yes, yes!" she exclaimed. "You've _gotta_ talk to him." Her eyes sparkled at the prospect; I wondered how much she'd had to drink before we arrived at the bar. She was normally exuberant, but this was extreme. It also frightened me that she was so interested in me talking to a guy; normally she didn't care _this_ much.

The waitress came back to our table; thankfully putting and end to that uncomfortable conversation.

A few hours later, the effects of the alcohol had really kicked in. I rarely drank, so having quite a bit in such a short time, had really taken its toll on me. I looked at my watch and noticed that it was ten minutes before midnight.

"Okay, guys," I said, noticing my slight slur. Maybe I shouldn't have had so much. I hoped it wouldn't incapacitate me. "I'm going to go either make a jerk out of myself or make a new friend."

Both Alice and Emmett howled with laughter.

"Go get 'em, Tiger," Emmett bellowed as I stood.

I shot him a look that said, "Quit it, Buster," while I straightened out my top, and wished I had taken more time on my appearance. "How do I look?" I asked, holding my arms out and attempting to twirl—I fell onto Jasper about a quarter of the way through my turn.

"You'll do," answered Alice. "We don't have time to get you all dolled up now."

"Thanks for the glowing compliment," I snipped.

"You'll be fine," Jasper consoled me. "He'll _love_ you."

"Uh... okay," I answered uncomfortably. "Not really looking for love, right now. Just someone to give a New Year's kiss to," I joked. "Be right back."

I stumbled my way through the even more crowded restaurant. The swarm of people on the dance floor had become larger, causing it to fill all of the available space. As I battled my way through the crowd, I found that I wasn't as annoyed at the people enjoying their New Year's Eve. In fact, I had just as much fun as they appeared to have, just moving and shaking along to the music while I approached the bar.

Unfortunately my balance was a little off, so I fell into a few couples as I traversed through the throngs of people. I was pretty sure I felt someone either pinch or slap my butt as I walked. Not even that could bother me. I was on my way to see a perfect specimen of a man.

I neared the bar and noticed him standing with his back to me, leaning across the bar talking to the waitress. His butt was displayed beautifully in a pair of jeans that seemed to be designed just for him. I wondered how someone like that didn't have everyone captivated at his mere presence. Oddly, the rest of the people there seemed engrossed in their own conversations, ignoring him almost completely.

The guy on the bench next to me made a rude comment about the waitress's body. I turned towards Rude Drunk Guy, and just as I was about to reprimand him for his words, I realized that I had been doing the same thing to Hot Bartender Guy. I was no better.

I all too willingly allowed my gaze to fall on Hot Bartender Guy again, just as he was turning around. I looked up to his perfectly sculptured face and focused on his eyes. Piercing green eyes. Eyes I would know anywhere.

_Oh no!_

End Notes:

Thanks for reading. I hope you liked it.

Hopefully last chapter will be up soon.


	4. Chapter 4 Bitter

**The Twilight Twenty-five**

**Prompt:** Bitter

**Pen name:** bonnysammy

**Pairing:** Edward/Bella

**Rating:** M

A\N:

Thanks to my betas from Project Team Beta--SayGoodbyeAgain, Jessica0306, and BookGeek80. You guys are unbelievable for working with me on this. (If there are any parts that are questionable about the storyline or wording, my beta who is below age does not get to see it. So she does a great job with the info she gets)

I hope you enjoy.

I do not own any of these characters, or the original plot to the Twilight Series. Everything publicly recognizable belongs to their owners. I am doing this only for the pleasure I gain from writing and I am not associated with anyone or anything to do with the Twilight Series. There is no financial benefit, whatsoever, though I may wish there were.

* * *

4 – Bitter

Of course, the fruit I actually wanted would be forbidden. Hot Bartender Guy was off limits, so much so that it was almost painful.

_Damn_. Of course it would be _him_. The ex-boyfriend.

Edward Masen.

The only guy who would every truly hold my heart.

Had I jinxed myself by thinking of him earlier?

His eyes locked with mine, and I knew in that instant that he was well aware who I was. The way he arrogantly sauntered toward me affected me more than my loneliness ever had; angry tears welled and threatened to fall. I held up my hand and shook my head, demanding that he not come any closer. I needed to compose myself. I needed to get my emotions in check. I _needed_ to get out of there.

I ran back to my table, stumbling too many times to maintain the illusion that I was only a little drunk. My embarrassment and inebriation caused my clumsiness to return ten-fold.

"I'm leaving," I hissed at Jasper. At that moment, I realized that he knew exactly what was going on. I was pretty sure he'd orchestrated this 'chance meeting' between us tonight. That explained his desire to leave home for here. "You've got a lot of explaining to do," I said bitterly, emphasizing my point by jamming my finger at his chest. "But it'll have to wait until later. Tomorrow, I expect some answers."

My index finger was now aching. Maybe I'd been too overzealous with my prior jab..

"You can't leave right now, Bells," he begged. "It's almost midnight. Just stay a few minutes more."

"No way, Jasper H. Whitlock--" Yes, I was using my 'I'm pissed with you' name for him-- "I'm not staying just to be trapped in a place with _him_. How could you do this to me? You know what it means, what _he_ means."

"Bells, calm down," Alice soothed.

"Yeah, just calm down," Emmett quipped.

"Calm down? _Calm down_? Was everyone in on this? Let's just play with Bella's emotions. I thought you guys were my friends. Why would you do this to me, tonight of all nights? It was supposed to be a celebration."

I roughly grabbed my coat from the back of my chair and thrust my arms into it. The fabric fought against me as my irritation increased. Clearly, the sleeves had turned themselves inside out when I'd taken it off.

"I've had enough," I practically screamed, fighting back the moisture in my eyes. "I'm leaving."

I whirled around, right into the chest of a man. The muscular chest that I'd spent much of the night ogling.

_Oh shit. Not _now_. Why couldn't I have been quicker?_

"Oh, no you're not," a familiar, though somewhat deeper voice spoke. "You're not walking home alone in the freezing cold... especially not this late at night."

"I think _you_ of all people have no say in the matter, Mr. Masen," I rebutted. "You gave up that right long ago. Now, leave me alone. You found that easy enough to do before."

I looked up into his face. He appeared stricken. I guess he hadn't expected me to stand up for myself. Old Bella never had, but I wasn't that person anymore; I refused to be.

"I'm going," I announced again. "If you guys are staying here, I have no problem with going home alone."

"No," Edward protested again, his voice more forceful than it had been previously.

He had no right imposing his will on me. "Like I said--"

"Look," he entreated, raising his hands in a gesture of surrender. "They can run the place without me for a twenty minutes. I'll walk a few yards behind. You won't even know I'm there. Just don't walk home alone. You don't know what kind of creeps are wandering around out there."

"No, but I know what kind of creep is in here," I retorted, curling my lip in a sneer. "I'm not going home with you."

"You wouldn't be going home with him," Jasper appealed. "You'll be going alone. He'll just _happen_ to follow you. No harm done, and you stay safe."

I didn't want to be indebted to Edward Masen. He'd done enough damage to my heart, damage that hadn't even begun to heal. I didn't need to further that pain.

I heard multiple sounds of assent from the table behind me. I was sure Alice had prodded them, and I knew it was useless to argue my point anymore. Besides, Edward appeared strong, and he would keep any crazies away—well, any _other_ crazies away.

"Fine. I'll do it. Just stay out of my line of sight. More than that, stay far enough back that I can't hear you. I don't even want to know you're there. Okay?"

He nodded, that afflicted look even stronger on his face. Had I thought him handsome earlier tonight? Now, as I looked at him, he appeared weak, a shadow of the memory I had. Had I really built him up so much in the passing years?

"I'll be good," he sighed, and then mashed his too thin lips together into an even thinner line. He nodded, then gestured for me to pass him, a la Vanna White exposing a letter on Wheel of Fortune.

_That's right, Bella. Attribute female characteristics to him, That'll make you feel better._

I turned around to the table. "G'night, everyone." I was sure my sarcastic grin was not lost on anyone, "See you later." I faced him again, only to find him in the same ridiculous pose. Normally I would've laughed, but since it was _him_, the only emotion I could muster was annoyance. I huffed, squared my shoulders and walked past.

The walk home was uncomfortable, to say the least. Even though I couldn't hear or see him, I knew he was there. The air was thick and oppressive with his presence.

After eight and a half minutes in my own personal hell, I arrived at the main door to my apartment building.

"I'm here," I called. "You're free to go about your normal business. I'd say it's been fun, but well..." I left the sentiment hanging in the air.

I put the key in the lock and began turning the tumbler, when I felt chills run up my spine. I was sure that if I could've seen my arm, it would have been covered in goose bumps.

"It was nice to see you, Bella," his voice whispered in my ear, far too close for comfort. "I'm sorry you don't feel the same." He paused, took a deep breath and continued, "Can't we at least be friends?"

"Yeah, right, Buddy," I sighed and shook my head. "Listen, _you_ ruined any chance at a relationship, friendship or otherwise, years ago. Just let me go and you'll never have to see me again. And hopefully, I won't see you, either." My heart twisted in my chest at my own words, but I would _not_ allow him to have this power over me. It was unhealthy. "Now, please step back so I can open the door." I didn't want to risk the chance that I would touch him if I swung the door open. I wasn't sure how close he was, but I knew he was closer than was safe.

"Okay, Bella." His voice sounded defeated, and I nearly turned around to read his face. I knew if I did that all was lost, my anger, my frustration, my resentment, my bitterness, everything. I refused to let him win.

"I'll leave you alone." His voice was farther away, so I knew he'd stepped back.

"Thank you, um...for walking me home. Have a nice night." I quickly stepped through the door, closing it behind me. Stupidly, I allowed myself to look at his retreating figure through the tiny window. He walked away, his shoulders slumped and his head down, looking like a little boy who'd just had his favorite toy taken away.

I nearly wrenched the door open and threw myself at him, before I came to my senses. What was I thinking? He'd ended us long ago. There was no way he could feel guilt; he'd always been to arrogant to regret anything. Yet another piece of my shattered heart was left by the door to my apartment building as I trudged up the stairs.

I opened the door and walked into my apartment, throwing my coat on the couch—I'd take care of that in the morning. The tub called my name as I walked past the bathroom, so I ran myself a hot, soothing bath. After pouring myself a glass of wine and quickly downing it, I settled on taking a second into the bathroom with me. I felt angry, bitter as I tried to recover the numbness that I had surrounded myself in earlier.

My legs were extremely unstable as I lowered myself into the warm water of the bath I'd run. Soaking in the tub, I allowed the tears to overtake me as I thought about my shell of a life.

* * *

End Notes:

Hope you enjoyed.


	5. Chapter 5 Bound

**The Twilight Twenty-five**

**Prompt:** Bound

**Pen name:** bonnysammy

**Pairing:** Edward/Bella

**Rating:** M

A\N:

Hope I haven't annoyed anyone with updating so close together. But with under 2 months and 25 chapters, some will be posted very close.

Thanks to my betas from Project Team Beta--SayGoodbyeAgain, Jessica0306, and BookGeek80. You guys are unbelievable for working with me on this. (If there are any parts that are questionable about the storyline or wording, my beta who is below age does not get to see it. So she does a great job with the info she gets)

I hope you enjoy.

I do not own any of these characters, or the original plot to the Twilight Series. Everything publicly recognizable belongs to their owners. I am doing this only for the pleasure I gain from writing and I am not associated with anyone or anything to do with the Twilight Series. There is no financial benefit, whatsoever, though I may wish there were.

5-Bound

I awoke the next morning to a headache and reeling stomach – a hangover. _Lovely_.

I heard movement out in the living room indicating that at least one person was awake. Alice, I surmised. The girl rarely slept, instead opting to flit around prettying up the place. The vacuum turned on, and I took that as a call to make my way surreptitiously to the bathroom.

I lifted my aching head off my pillow and stumbled down the hall. After the necessary actions, I vainly tried to refresh myself by splashing cold water on my face. I looked up into the mirror, finally ready to take in my bedraggled state.

Oddly enough, I didn't look half as bad as I'd expected. My eyes were bright, reflecting a light I hadn't seen in years, around ten years to be exact. Had just seeing Edward done that? Even in my pained and nauseous state, I looked a thousand times better than I had the previous day.

This revelation frightened me. Was I still that attached to him? Bound to him as a slave to her master, connected by the strongest of chains. I had to admit to myself that, no matter what, he still had my heart. It would forever be that way it seemed. Like an animal whose leg had been caught in a steel trap, I would remove the part of my heart that still belonged to him in order to cut the chains that bound us. I could then leave everything in the past, including the love that we had once shared, leaving it as a forgotten part of our history.

I would break that part of my heart off from the rest and cut the chains that bound us, leaving both behind in the past alongside his long forgotten love for me. It would be over; for my sanity, it had to be. The act would be painful, agonizing, but I would unbind myself from him.

There was a steely determination in my eyes when I met my own gaze in the mirror. It strengthened my resolve that I would be able to do this. I would move on; I needed to. This shadow I had become would once again be a whole person.

I walked out of the bathroom, forcing a strut in my step. Even in my uncomfortable state, I would not let him enter my thoughts anymore. He wouldn't hurt me again. Last night was a wake up call screaming that I'd wallowed long enough. It was time to start living again.

"Morning, Al," I chirped at her when I walked into the living room. She had stopped the vacuuming and started rearranging the pillows on the couch. I hadn't noticed the earbuds wedged into her ears, so I wasn't careful to make her aware I was there before yelling to her. As a result, my sudden appearance alarmed her. I laughed as she jumped and threw one of the pillows into the air. "Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you."

"Morning, Bells," she replied, giggling slightly. "It's all right. Didn't think you'd be up _this_ early."

She picked up the pillow from the floor and flopped down on the sofa, cuddling it close to her chest.

"So...," she began, anticipation alight in her hazel eyes.

"So, what?" I asked, already annoyed that she was jumping into this conversation so early on.

"What happened last night?" she pressed, her eyes widening and her body barely able to contain her excitement.

"_Nothing_ happened, Alice," I answered, allowing my irritation to seep through in my voice. "He stayed behind me and followed me home. I got home in one piece, of course." Well, except for my heart. "He waited while I went inside. Then, I went upstairs and took a bath. After the bath, I went to bed."

Her face fell and filled with what was obviously disappointment.

"That's it?" she sighed. "That's all that happened?"

"Yep," I said. "What'd you expect? I'd be dancing around singing show tunes about love and fairies?"

"No, not really. I know you better than that. But, I had hoped--"

"Yeah, well nothing happened," I cut her off, not wanting her to go down the pity path. "Didn't he return really quickly? I mean, that had to provide your answer right there."

"No, he didn't come back," she whispered, sounding almost afraid to tell me. "He must've gone home or something. I guess when you're the boss' kid, you can leave whenever you want. It's not like he works there, anyway. He was just helping out."

"Oh! He doesn't work there?" I asked. "I assumed that he did."

"No, he was helping his mom out," she explained. "His dad died a few months ago, and her health has been failing ever since, so she couldn't take New Year's Eve. It was just too much."

My heart went out to Elizabeth over the loss of her husband. Eddie had always been a really great and fun guy. I was saddened that I hadn't heard of his passing; it just further solidified the fact that Edward and I ran in different circles now. I knew however, that I would find a way to contact Elizabeth to express my condolences.

Then it hit me.

"Wait," I turned back to Alice, my mind quickly piecing the bits of conversation together despite it's hung over state. "You didn't have enough time to find out all of this last night, especially if he didn't return. You never even talked to him while I was there."

Her eyes widened impossibly.

"Um... yeah..." She searched around frantically, flailing for some possible explanation.

"So it was a setup," I seethed, my nostrils flaring. "You all knew he was going to be there. Even Jasper. And you forced me to go, knowing what it would do to me. How the hell could you do that?"

"No," she whispered, her voice faltering, her eyes now frightened. "We knew he'd be there, but I never though it would hurt you the way it did. I wanted to make you happy. I-"

"You what, Alice?" I hissed through gritted teeth. "You wanted to make me relive the most painful experience I've ever been through? Wanted to bring me face to face with the person who ruined my life?"

"I-I didn't know," she wailed.

"No, you didn't. And you didn't talk to me to find out." I stood up and ran across to the hall entrance. "You could have asked me, Alice. I would have let you know." I ran to my room and slammed the door behind me.

I grabbed the first clothes I could find, a pair of yoga pants and a white shirt, pulled them on frantically, and made my way to the hallway. I whipped my purse and keys off the entryway table, and stalked to the front door.

"I'm leaving," I yelled. "I don't know where I'm going, and I don't know when I'm coming back. Only contact me if it's an emergency."

"No, B-Bella, d-don't," Alice's stuttering voice called.

"_You_ don't," I screamed, my anger boiling over. "I've had enough of the pity. I've had enough of everything. It's time to… I don't even know. But I feel trapped. I need to get out. I'll... talk to you later. Bye."

I slammed the door behind me and made my way to my car.

End Notes:

Thanks to everyone who's reading, and thanks to everyone who's reviewed. You really make my day.


	6. Chapter 6 Collide

**The Twilight Twenty-five**

**Prompt:** Collide

**Pen name:** bonnysammy

**Pairing:** Edward/Bella

**Rating:** M

A\N:

Thanks to my betas from Project Team Beta--SayGoodbyeAgain, Jessica0306, and BookGeek80. You guys are unbelievable for working with me on this. (If there are any parts that are questionable about the storyline or wording, my beta who is below age does not get to see it. So she does a great job with the info she gets)

I hope you enjoy.

I do not own any of these characters, or the original plot to the Twilight Series. Everything publicly recognizable belongs to their owners. I am doing this only for the pleasure I gain from writing and I am not associated with anyone or anything to do with the Twilight Series. There is no financial benefit, whatsoever, though I may wish there were.

* * *

6 - Collide

I ran out of the apartment, storming down the stairs with such ferocity that had anyone gotten in my way, they probably would've been trampled. When I reached the second landing, I realized I'd forgotten my coat. Even though it was winter, pride overruled self-preservation, and I decided to leave it. Besides, I needed somewhere to go and shopping would be a distraction.

So, decision made, I was going shopping. I raced to my car and hurried myself inside to provide shelter from the bitter wind. The seat was freezing and chilled me as I sat organizing everything, and then waited for the car to heat up. I shivered, shaking violently as I drove down the street.

Due to fear of hypothermia, I drove straight to the nearest department store. Normally, I never shopped there – their prices were far too steep for me – but given my state of mind this morning, cost was inconsequential. As I was pulling up, I thanked my lucky stars that they were open. It was New Year's Day, and I wasn't sure what places would have regular business hours.

The only space available was one right at the back of the lot—clearly no one _ever_ stayed at home—and trudged to the crowded store. After entering, I made a beeline for the outerwear section. I selected the only moderately priced coat I could find. It would be warm enough, and it was long so it would cover my atrocious choice of clothing. I paid for the coat and was about to leave the store when I changed my mind. I had already spent an exorbitant amount on the coat; why not splurge on an outfit as well?

After wandering through the women's clothing section, I grabbed a pair of jeans and a dark blue, relatively low-cut sweater and paid for those. I quickly changed in the ladies' restroom, noticing that even though it was a snap decision, the sweater I chose was very flattering.

On my way out of the store, I passed some mittens, scarves and hats. I was without any of those and since I was already spending money freely, I purchased a set for myself. Back in my car, I was warm and toasty with my newly acquired purchases. I debated what to do next and drove off to a local restaurant. The growl from my stomach had been hard to ignore; I was starving and not much in the mood to go out of my to find a place, so local it was.

After eating a quick meal, I still did _not_ want to return to the apartment and either Alice or Jasper. The look of disdain and pity I expected to see on was enough to discourage my return. Instead, I decided it was time to go for a walk. There was a park nearby. Sure, it was a tourist area, but it would do. I parked my car on the mostly-abandoned lot and stepped out.

The walk through the park was pleasant enough, considering the frigid temperature. The sun had been unexpectedly shining, causing everything to appear warmer than the actual thermometer in my car read. This made my time ambling throughout the wooded and grassy areas that much more enjoyable. I refused to think of anything in particular, instead opting to savor the beauty of the leafless trees, the pine-needled evergreens, and the small animals that should not have been rushing around.

I was wandering along, staring at a bird fluttering in n the sky above and lost in carefully controlled thought, when I collided with a large object.

"Oof," I gasped and toppled backwards towards the ground.

A chuckle was issued from the large object's direction. A massive brown hand reached out and grabbed my arm, preventing me from landing flat on my ass.

"Sorry about that," a man's husky voice rang out - the huge thing I had collided with, I assumed. "I didn't see you there. I was looking in a different direction... Not that I wouldn't have wanted to look in your direction. I mean, you are definitely something to look at..." He shook his head. "Did I just say that? I can't believe I just said that. I've obviously lost control of my verbal filter." He smiled, the gesture lighting up his entire face, and crinkling the skin around his nearly black eyes. "I'm Jake, by the way," he said, holding out his right hand.

I grabbed it, and he shook gently.

"And... you are?" he asked.

"Oh! Sorry, I'm Bella," I answered, embarrassed that the most basic of manners had eluded me. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Jake."

_And cue the guy who's gonna help me with my plan._

"What're you doing out on such a cold day?" he questioned, raising his dark eyebrows high. "Not many women are interested in walking around a frozen park."

"Yeah, normally I wouldn't be, either. I just needed to clear my head. You know, after a crazy night. I kinda needed some air." I shrugged and looked up at him.

"So, not a great New Year's Eve I take it," he said, that attractive smile illuminating his features once again. "Me neither. My girl broke up with me a few weeks ago, so I spent it with a few of my other single friends. They got drunk and passed out before midnight. Not too exciting."

_So he's single. Perfect._

"I got to run into the ex from hell," I quipped. "I tried to get away, and he followed me home, under the guise of 'keeping me safe.' Talk about uncomfortable."

"Smooth," he said, awe filling his voice. "I'd never think of something like that."

I laughed. "That's actually a good thing. No self-respecting woman wants to be treated like a toddler."

"I guess not," Jake agreed. He looked quickly at his watch and his face fell. "I hate to cut our meeting short, but I was actually on my way to my car. I have to meet a friend at a restaurant nearby. But… I'd love your number. Um, maybe we can spend some time together?"

"That'd be cool," I said, internally celebrating. I hadn't even had to ask for his number; he'd asked for mine.

We walked to the parking lot and amazingly enough were parked right next to each other. He had an old beat-up Volkswagen of some sort—I'm not good with cars. It was small, too small for his large frame but in a way, it suited him. It was not necessarily polished, a diamond in the rough. Just the same as he appeared to be. Familiarity and comfort surrounded both Jake and his car.

After saying our goodbyes, I sat in my car for another few minutes, considering the events of the past few hours. With time to think about my childish tirade, I realized that I'd overreacted. Neither Alice nor Jasper knew the extent of my feelings for Edward. And they didn't know that I pined for him constantly. I'd kept that hidden for years, choosing only to cry when I was alone. I never let anyone see my emotional breakdowns.

I walked up the stairs to our apartment with trepidation, wishing that this conversation with Alice could go quickly. I hated that I had screamed at Alice the way I did. Just as anger and hurt had fueled my actions then, embarrassment and remorse guided me now.

I opened the door and was engulfed by the smell of potatoes and chicken—my favorite. Alice really knew how to make a girl feel guilty about a fight. I smiled, knowing that this was not her reasoning behind making my favorite meal. She felt uncomfortable about her actions as well. When I looked in the kitchen, I saw her sitting there, staring at the wall. She jumped up and ran to me, pulling me into a hug.

"Oh, Bella, I'm so sorry," she cried. "I didn't realize it would upset you so much. I wouldn't have done it I'd known."

"No, Al," I consoled. "I was the one who blew it all out of proportion. You were just trying to be nice."

We both sat down and spoke for a while, each of us apologizing profusely.

* * *

End Notes:

As always, thanks for reading and your reviews.

One of my betas (BookGeek80) is decidedly Team Edward. She wished for Edward to appear from behind a tree when Bella ran into Jacob. So I suggested that he could come out singing and dancing a la Gene Kelly:

So here's an tiny outtake of what BookGeek80 says really happened. Well, she supplied Edward appearing from behind a tree. I supplied the absurdity. (It's a tad crackfic, so if you don't want to know what didn't happen, don't read anymore)

"I'm Jake, by the way," he said, holding out his right hand.

I reached my hand out to grasp his, when I heard the rustling of leaves to my left.

Some quiet music that sounded suspiciously like "Singing in the Rain" began to play-- where had that come from? My unasked question was answered when suddenly a pale figure holding an umbrella popped out from behind a tree.

The odd reddish-brown hair color atop this man's head, informed me that Edward was intruding on my meeting with this "Jake." I turned to scowl at him, but he began dancing around before I could.

"Do do do do do, do do do do do do do do..." Edward began singing along.

_Please tell me he's not going to do a rendition of Gene Kelly._

He stopped moving in time with the music, held his hand out to the non-existent rain. He shrugged and closed the umbrella, a small smile on his face.

Again he began moving in time with the music.

"I'm singing in the Park, You don't want the guy who's dark," Edward sang. "If you come back to me, I'll be happy once again."

He sprang up on one of the trees, holding onto one of the limbs.

I ran to him--he was all I could ever need-- and he hopped down. I pulled him into a fierce hug.

"I love you, Edward."I laughed. "Thank you for making an ass of yourself to prove how much you love me."

"I do love you, Bella. Please forgive me. Please."

There was no question. I would forgive him anything.

"Always and forever."


	7. Chapter 7 Comfort

**The Twilight Twenty-five**

**Prompt:** Comfort

**Pen name:** bonnysammy

**Pairing:** Edward/Bella

**Rating:** M

A\N:

Thanks to my betas from Project Team Beta--SayGoodbyeAgain, Jessica0306, and BookGeek80. You guys are unbelievable for working with me on this. (If there are any parts that are questionable about the storyline or wording, my beta who is below age does not get to see it. So she does a great job with the info she gets)

I hope you enjoy.

I do not own any of these characters, or the original plot to the Twilight Series. Everything publicly recognizable belongs to their owners. I am doing this only for the pleasure I gain from writing and I am not associated with anyone or anything to do with the Twilight Series. There is no financial benefit, whatsoever, though I may wish there were.

7 – Comfort.

When Jasper finally arrived home from doing whatever he'd been doing, Alice reheated the food she had prepared. It had cooled during our conversation, and Jasper's reappearance actually brought attention to the fact that we hadn't eaten, even though it was quite late.

"Here you go, sweetheart," she said as she walked across the floor, and then handed him a small plate of food. "Enjoy!"

"Thanks, Al," he replied. "But I'm really not that hungry. I ate before I came home." He turned away from me to face her and looked at her for a little too long. Their loving looks and pauses, which had become too much for me to bear recently, didn't bother me as much now.

She closed her eyes and sighed, pressing her lips into a thin line. After shaking her head minutely, she apparently remembered that I was still in the room and turned on her heel.

"Bella, do you want me to fix you a plate?" she asked, disappearing behind the kitchen door.

"No, that's okay," I called. "I'll go get my own." I stood and made my way to the kitchen. Alice and I passed at the doorway, and I smiled to myself at how much more comfortable things were now that we had talked.

I placed some food on my plate, and then put it in the microwave to heat up. While I was waiting, I could hear Alice and Jasper's muted voices in the other room, obviously trying to keep quiet so I wouldn't find out what they were saying. Since I didn't want to know what they were talking about, I didn't invade their privacy.

After my food was warm, I joined them at the table. My chair was cozy and inviting as I sat—thank heaven we chose the plush chairs and not the wood ones. Without looking at the two lovebirds seated at the same table, I began to eat.

"So... Bells," Jasper said after clearing his throat. "We, um, need to talk about last night." His voice cracked nervously.

"No, we don't, Jazz," I quickly responded. "I'm not sure exactly why you did it but during my alone time today, I did some thinking... You thought you were doing something good. You'd never do anything to purposely hurt me, I know that."

"Never," he said grabbing my hand to emphasize his words.

I took a deep breath, tilting my head in thanks.

"So, I'm _not_ going to let Edward Masen ruin my life anymore," I said. "He's done it for long enough. It's time to make a clean break." I took strength from those words. I could do this. I would do this.

"Really?" Jasper's voice didn't betray any hint of disbelief, but it was edged with an emotion I couldn't place. "You're really done with him?"

Alice smiled kindly and nodded supportively as I met her gaze.

"Yes," I replied. "It's done. I mean, I still love him; I probably always will." It was the first time I had admitted _that_ since high school. Jasper pulled back, blinking rapidly. "But I think it may be that I'm more in love with the person I thought he was, not necessarily who he is. We're both different people, and it's time to move on."

"Wow!" he exclaimed, his eyes wide as he pulled his hand away.

"Yeah." I cut a small piece of chicken, placed it in my mouth, chewed and swallowed. It was delicious. "So, um, let's stop talking about him. I don't want to think about it anymore. I've done enough thinking." Wallowing, really. "Besides, I met someone today."

His mouth fell open.

"Better close that, Jasper. You'll start catching flies." I laughed at his blatant shock. "What? Did you think someone wouldn't be interested in me?"

He joined in my laughter. "Of course not, silly. You're a hell of a catch. I'm surprised you found someone _today_. So… you like this guy?"

"Yeah," I replied. "He's great. We really hit it off." I cut off another piece of chicken and began chewing on it.

"That's great. I'm happy for you." He smiled, but his eyes betrayed that other emotion I couldn't place.

I nodded, my full mouth of food. We finished rest of our dinner in a comfortable silence. As I ate, I turned over the events from the park. Jake really was handsome, funny and sweet. To top it all off, he seemed interested in me, and I was definitely interested in him, a perfect situation.

I stood up and collected the plates.

"I'll put these in the dishwasher," I said, walking through the kitchen door. I raised my voice. "Do you guys have plans for the night?"

"Actually," Alice called, "I was hoping we could have a night in. Jazz and I bought some movies, so I thought we could watch them."

"Cool," I yelled back. "What'd you get?"

"You can look through them and choose when you're done."

"Alright. Do you guys want death by buttered popcorn?" I asked, popping my head out of the kitchen door

"Most definitely," Jasper responded..

I prepared some popcorn and returned to the living room. After I collapsed into my chair, Alice rushed over to me with a bunch of DVDs.

"Here, you pick."

I looked through the lot. The one that caught my eye was a movie about a boy wizard. The premise seemed harmless enough, so I handed it back to Alice.

"How 'bout this one?"

She inspected my choice and smiled back. "Sounds good to me. Jasper?" She held the object out to him.

"That's fine," he said, shrugging. "It doesn't sound too bad."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Jazz," I teased.

We all became absorbed by the movie, which was interesting until the boy playing the 'Hogwart's Champion' showed. He looked like a younger version of Edward, exactly like the boy I had fallen in love with. I pushed the pain away. I would not allow it to take over; I had severed that tie.

I knew Alice had noticed the resemblance too, as I caught her glancing at me sideways. I pulled out my cell phone, diverting my attention from the movie and Alice's furtive looks. After scrolling through the contacts, I found Jake's information. I selected his name and sent a quick text.

_Had a great time today. It was really nice meeting you._

I place the phone on my lap, hoping to receive a response relatively soon. Nonetheless I was surprised when my phone buzzed about a minute later.

_Definitely. I'm so glad we ran into each other. I'm at work now. Can I call you tomorrow?_

That was a very good sign. He wanted to talk to me tomorrow.

_Sure_, I sent back.

I placed the phone on the end table, and I snuggled into the chair, covering myself with a fleece blanket. I let the warmth and comfort of both the blanket and my friends surround me as I fell into a deep slumber.

A|N

I don't have anything funny to say or write here. This was a pretty boring chapter, just setting some stuff up. I will work on my next chapter pretty soon and hopefully post it quickly.

Thanks for reading.


	8. Chapter 8 Dark

The Twilight Twenty-five

**Prompt:** Dark

**Pen name:** bonnysammy

**Pairing:** Edward/Bella

**Rating:** M

A\N:

Thanks to my betas from Project Team Beta--SayGoodbyeAgain, Jessica0306, and BookGeek80. You guys are unbelievable for working with me on this. (If there are any parts that are questionable about the storyline or wording, my beta who is below age does not get to see it. So she does a great job with the info she gets)

I hope you enjoy.

I do not own any of these characters, or the original plot to the Twilight Series. Everything publicly recognizable belongs to their owners. I am doing this only for the pleasure I gain from writing and I am not associated with anyone or anything to do with the Twilight Series. There is no financial benefit, whatsoever, though I may wish there were.

* * *

8 – Dark

I was in the woods near where I'd grown up. Its murky, gloomy heart called to me, drawing me towards it with an unstoppable force. I needed to obey; there was no other option. Every step I took was dreadful, bringing me closer to a destination I didn't want to reach; the dark was foreboding. Finally, I came upon a clearing, a tiny area of light in the pitch black of the surrounding trees.

In the middle of the bright, open clearing stood Jake. His black hair glistened in the direct sunlight. I briefly thought that this couldn't be my childhood home; the sun never shone this strongly there.

Jake stood with his back to me, staring toward the opposite side of the clearing. It looked like he was fixated on something in the woods, but through the brilliant light, I was unable to make out more than just the outline of the trees.

In my excitement to see him, I hastily broke through the trees, calling his name. He didn't turn; his posture never strayed from its rigid stance.

"Jake," I called again, trying to break him from whatever spell he seemed to be under.

"Bella," he whispered. His quiet response surprised me, but still he didn't move. "Do _not_ come any closer." His voice was a muted warning.

"What?" I asked, freezing in my tracks. His tone and posture had frightened me. "What are you talking about?"

Suddenly the sun was blinding, alarming in its intensity. I covered my eyes to hide from the distressing brightness, and I wished to be back in the darkness of the forest.

There was a loud sound of rushing air, and the light that had been seeping through my fingertips, striping my eyelids in red, vanished. Everything was dark again. I guessed I got my wish.

I removed my hand and opened my eyes to find that I was in the same place I had begun. Again, I made my way through the brush and ferns, knowing the path to my destination this time. I reached the clearing quickly, the sun still shining too brightly.

This time, however, Jake was no longer in the open area. At the edge of the woods, where Jake had been staring, stood a pale male figure with a mop of auburn hair. Edward.

I didn't want to go to him, but my body acted of it's own accord, just as it had before. I approached the edge of the woods to step into the clearing, but there was something blocking my way, an invisible field that prevented my passage. I knew that if I tried to find my way around the open area, I would not be able to, even though it should have been simple. It was necessary for me to walk _across_ the clearing. I couldn't fail _him_; I'd already failed Jake.

With each attempt to enter, my progress was stopped at the very edge. Each time I looked to Edward, he appeared visibly weaker, like he'd been physically harmed. I called to him but like with Jake before, he did not react.

Both fear and panic raced through my body as my every attempt was thwarted. How could I get to him? What was wrong? Finally, the dark of the forest enveloped me, and I began weeping.

When I opened my eyes, I was laying in my bed, the pillow soaked from the tears that were still falling. I wiped my eyes, flipped the pillow over and tried to fall back asleep, tossing and turning for at least half an hour before sleep finally overtook me.

*~*~*~*

Since New Year's Day had fallen on a Sunday, I had the day after off as well. It was wonderful to sleep in on a Monday. I awoke just before noon - something I never did - and took my time getting ready for the day.

After my morning routine, my stomach grumbled at the lack of breakfast, so I made myself a small sandwich and brought it to our dining table. On the table sat a small piece of paper folded in half. I picked up the tiny bit of stationary and opened it to see Alice's neat writing inside.

_B-_

_You were sleeping when I went to talk to you, so I figured I'd leave a note. Jazz and I have gone out for the day. We'll be back later, probably after dinner. See you tonight._

_Love,_

_-A_

So I had the entire day to myself. I sat in front of the TV, ready to watch the _Law & Order SVU_ marathon that had been billed over the past week. On the second episode in, my cell vibrated in my pocket. I pulled it out and saw Jake's name on the caller ID.

My heart fluttered, then raced at a rapid pace. I knew he must really be interested to contact me yet again, and I enjoyed the happiness that flowed through me.

"Hello," I answered, trying to hide my excitement.

"Hey, Bella," Jake responded. "I was, uh … wondering if you were busy today. I'm free all day, and I thought maybe we could hang out or something… I mean, _Munich_ just came out and I've been wanting to see it. Maybe you'd like to go?"

I was alone with nothing planned for the day, and getting to know him better would definitely be fun.

"Sure," I said. "that works for me."

"Cool!" I could almost feel his enthusiasm through the phone, intensifying my own. "Can you be ready in an hour?"

"Sure," I answered. "I'll see you then. Are you going to come here, or should I meet you somewhere?"

"I'll come pick you up," he said. "If that's okay."

"Yeah, that's fine. I'll see you then. Talk to you later."

"I kind of need the address, Bella," he laughed.

After telling him the address and giving directions, we ended our call. I made a quick call to inform Alice about my plans, and I was still ready within an hour. As I walked into the living room to wait for him, the doorbell announced Jake's arrival.

First, we went to a diner and ate. The food was tasty and affordable, always a good thing. If nothing else, I'd found a place to go again. Then we spent the rest of the afternoon at a children's arcade type place. I would have never gone there, thinking I was much too old but we had a great time acting like kids— Skee Ball was especially fun.

After our juvenile entertainment, we headed to the movie theater. I was unable to totally lose myself in the dark film; the black theater seemed eerie as the sense of foreboding from my nightmare still hadn't dissipated. I couldn't help but worry that something bad was lurking on the horizon.

We left the theater, and Jake drove me home. When we reached my apartment, I invited Jake up for a quick drink. While we walked up the stairs and down the hallway, our conversation was easy. Joking and laughing loudly with him felt so natural. I was surprised that the door was not locked when I arrived home. That must have meant Alice and Jasper were back.

The door swung open easily to reveal someone sitting on the sofa.

Edward.

My laughter died abruptly in my throat. Why in the hell was this happening? How could they have brought him _here_?

"Um… Hello, Bella," he stated weakly. I waited for more. "I'm sorry..." He could never be as sorry as he should be, or as sorry as I was in that moment. "I didn't expect you to come home so early."

"Why are you just standing there?" Jake asked from the hallway. "I thought we were going inside."

The sound of Jake's voice broke me free from the Edward's spell. I wasn't happy to admit that I had all but forgotten Jake.

"I-I was just… um, leaving," Edward stuttered. He quickly put on his coat and rushed past us.

* * *

A|N:

As always, thanks for reading.

So, I'm not sure when chapter 14 (Morose) will be available. It's kicking my butt. Luckily, I have a cushion to fall upon. But we're quickly approaching it.

(The following is a shameless, yet tacky, unpaid advertisement for me. Skip if you're uninterested! lol)

A quick question: Have you voted in the Indie TwiFics? Lots of great under-recognized fics are up there, including my own, Lost Cause (not that I'm calling it great or under-recognized). If you like or are in any way interested in AU, please take the time to check out my fic, available through my profile. Then go vote. You don't have to vote for Lost Cause, just vote. There's so many great under-recognized fics out there.

(End of Unpaid Ad)

As she has in the past, my lovely beta, BookGeek80, has supplied her take on this chapter. As she is Team Edward all of the way, she was… unhappy with the way I ended this chapter. As a result, she has written an alternative ending. Of course, if this chapter ended her way, my TW25 would only be like my TW9, or maybe 10. I, of course, couldn't let her mad writing skillz—spelled like that on purpose—go to waste, so I've included it below for your enjoyment… and mine.

**Alternative ending**

Edward.

The door fell closed behind me as all the breath left my body. I'd been struggling so hard to keep him from my mind, an effort I now realized was futile.

He stood to greet me, offering a guilty smile as his voice curled warmly around my name.

"Bella," he breathed. I backed towards the door, knowing that if he got too close my efforts to close the door on that chapter of my life would be over.

"I can't explain how sorry I am, Bella. Please, you have to forgive me." He was inches away from me now, his hand proffered in emphasis to his apology.

I shook my head to clear it, but foolishly met his gaze. His eyes were contrite, but behind that, lay love. A love that I knew was reflected in my own. My resolve, my will, crumbled in that moment as he closed the gap between us. I glanced down at his lips as he breathed my name again.

Jacob who?

---My addition—

Since the invention of the kiss, there have only been five kisses that were rated the most passionate, the most pure. This one left them all behind.

The most sexy and loving lemon follows. Then the typical HEA as the ride off into the sunset.

(Yes Edward is Westley to Bella's Buttercup.)


	9. Chapter 9 Fragments

The Twilight Twenty-five

**Prompt:** Dark

**Pen name:** bonnysammy

**Pairing:** Edward/Bella

**Rating:** M

A\N:

Thanks to my betas from Project Team Beta--SayGoodbyeAgain, Jessica0306, and BookGeek80. You guys are unbelievable for working with me on this. (If there are any parts that are questionable about the storyline or wording, my beta who is below age does not get to see it. So she does a great job with the info she gets)

I hope you enjoy.

I do not own any of these characters, or the original plot to the Twilight Series. Everything publicly recognizable belongs to their owners. I am doing this only for the pleasure I gain from writing and I am not associated with anyone or anything to do with the Twilight Series. There is no financial benefit, whatsoever, though I may wish there were.

* * *

Fragments

EPOV

Jasper and his wife, Alice, had taken time out of their schedules to keep me company the day after New Year's. They knew that I was heartbroken after my disaster of a reunion with Bella two nights prior. I guess it was a suicide watch of sorts, though it never would've gone that far.

When I thought about what our first meeting after so long would be like, I hadn't really expected her to run to me and fall into my arms… but I'd hoped. That was my first mistake—well, my first mistake that night. My first mistake ever had been leaving her. How I could've thought that my life would be the same after her eluded me. I'd done nothing but pine since I'd said goodbye.

When I turned around to see her standing at the bar, her beautiful brown eyes wide with the shock of seeing me, I was filled with too many emotions to describe. I knew I hadn't ever fallen out of love with her, but I didn't realize how strong that feeling still was. Warring with love, I felt fear, self-hatred, and desire all coursing through me. My body reacted, instinctively pulling me toward her.

The fragments of my life came together, made whole in her presence. My heart once again became a solid piece.

Pain flashed through her eyes, and she silently willed me to stop my progress. I instantly complied, not wanting to push her beyond what she could handle. I wanted to envelop her in my arms and take her pain away. I knew I—well, my presence—had caused her to hurt.

She stormed across the room to the table she was sharing with friends. I cautiously followed. Without hearing her words, her stance made it obvious that I was unwelcome. I talked her into allowing me to accompany her on the walk home. Due to my overprotective nature, I couldn't bear the thought of her walking around alone at night—it was far too dangerous.

She stomped home, quicker and more graceful than I had ever seen her before. Her walk entranced me, and even though I knew she was furious, I couldn't help imagining holding her against me. Upon arriving at her apartment, I attempted to speak with her. That was my second mistake of the night.

I came too close to her, making her feel uncomfortable, and she nearly bit off my head, promising we wouldn't see each other again. Then she rushed through her front door. My heart fragmented again as I made my way back to the restaurant. My head filled with shards of broken dreams, the overwhelming and unwanted thoughts. I placed my hand on the handle pausing, but couldn't turn it. I couldn't enter that place, not tonight. The pulsing music and raucous laughter only served to flaunt how alone I was.

Instead, the quiet solitude of my car beckoned from across the street. I pulled my cell from my pocket and texted Mike.

_I'm not going to be able to make it back. You can finish the night, right?_

I clicked send and crossed the street to my car, not waiting for a response—Mike could handle it; he'd done it before. Once I was inside the safety and privacy of my car, I allowed the misery to overtake me. Leaning my arms against the steering wheel, I rested my head there and didn't try to stop the tears from falling. I hadn't cried over much in my life. My father's death, my mother's poor health—these were only times I had been overwhelmed enough to cry.

As I sat in my driver's seat, tears rolled uncontrollably down my cheeks. I knew I'd messed up, but I hadn't realized just how badly, until this moment. Everything came crashing down: guilt that I'd never been close with my father, shame that I'd let my relationship with my mother slip, remorse for having wasted much of my life, and culpability for ruining the most important part of my life, my love for Bella. Each was a tiny piece of the pain I bore.

At the end of my father's life, I had been there for him, showing my love for him, taking care of him. I knew that he was aware of my feelings, but I still hadn't been there as a part of his life for too long. As I was growing up, he had always been hard on me, never failing to inform me of how I disappointed him. When I graduated high school, I couldn't handle that treatment any longer, so I removed myself from the situation; it was the only way I could deal with it.

Detaching myself from the scrutiny of my father also forced me to lessen my presence in my mother's life. She had always been supportive and loving, but it was necessary for my sanity. So I became a ghost to her, a memory in her life for many years, until recently. With my father's failing health, she'd needed me, and I would always be there for my family when they really needed it. Though I'd tried to distance myself, my loyalties ran very deep.

When I had left high school, I knew I had to completely sever myself from my former life; it was the only way to survive. The last part that I'd agonized over leaving behind was Bella. I didn't do it because I felt I could get someone "better," though I always assumed this is why she thought I left. She never understood that there wasn't _anyone_ who could be better for me. I did it because I needed to disentangle myself; I needed to cut all ties with the person I was in order to find who I was supposed to be. I foolishly thought that staying with Bella would hold me back from doing this. Utter stupidity. In fact, it had always been _me_ who held her back. I wasn't good enough for her, and I knew it.

It was easier to lie to her about the reasons for the breakup, saying that I needed a fresh start, than ever fully explaining anything. So that was what I did. I removed myself from her life; selfishly letting her think that I had moved on, that she hadn't been enough.

Time away hadn't been easy; I hadn't taken into account how hard it would be to be successful without help from my parents. For some time, I struggled to survive. School took a backburner as I worked just to supply food and shelter for myself. Taking money from my father was not an option; that would have just put me further in debt to him, a price I was not willing to pay.

A year back, I had returned to school, trying to piece together some kind of semblance of a life. After some research, I decided to major in Communication and Journalism, something I thought Bella would've been good at. I wasn't sure exactly what I wanted to do with that degree. I just knew I needed a degree to hold a prominent position. I didn't want to be stuck in a dead end job— like being behind the bar in the family business— for the rest of my life.

When my dad became sick, I spent my off time helping my mom out by taking care of the family business since he was no longer able. I was shocked when my old high school friend, Jasper, walked in towing a tiny, dark-haired woman. We talked for hours, and though I hadn't seen him in years, it was like no time had passed. As I got to know Alice, it was obvious that she was perfect for him, much more so than his ex-girlfriend Maria had ever been.

As we spent time together, my mind kept wandering to Bella. I wanted to ask him about her, to find out if they were still friends, but my fear held me back. If I asked, would I stop there? Knowing I had no other way to find out about her, I swallowed my pride and opened the flood gate, allowing all of my questions to flow forth. To my surprise, he answered my questions as if he knew I was still brooding over the loss of her. Amazingly enough, I found that they were still _very_ close. In fact, she lived with him and Alice.

I took every opportunity I could to hint at my still strong feelings for Bella. Okay, I threw caution to the wind and practically begged him to bring her by. I was not proud; that emotion had left me long ago. I needed her, and that was all I knew.

Over many nights, Alice, Jasper and I plotted a way for us to meet again. Sometimes, I would catch a brief glimpse of her retreating dark hair as she would pop her head into the restaurant looking for Alice or Jasper. It was odd that Alice always sent me away for something just before Bella arrived. This happened every time; it was like the girl had some sort of sixth sense. I had come to be able to read her and know before she even asked; her demeanor would change and I would ready myself for her request.

Through our discussions, we decided that New Year's Eve provided the perfect opportunity to bring Bella by. I was helping out anyway, and they could bring all their friends to Senior's without drawing too much of her attention.

Well, that plan ended up a bust, as mentioned before.

I spent the rest of New Year's Day curled up in a ball under the sheets, trying to figure out how I could reassemble my life. There didn't seem to be any way through the pain I had caused myself in my stupid teenage burst of independence so many years ago. I spent the day in bed, berating myself for my own stupidity and immaturity.

The next morning, Jasper called me. I knew he was checking up on me, but I didn't call him out on it. He invited himself and Alice over to my place, and we spent the rest of the day together. They were trying to distract me, but nothing could take my mind off the second loss of Bella—I wasn't sure you could actually lose something you didn't really have.

"So, Edward," Jasper began in a calming tone, "things didn't go quite as we expected."

I snorted and glared. "That's an understatement."

"Yeah, well…"

"Maybe we should think about another tactic," Alice chirped. "I mean, honesty might be the best policy."

"I don't think she'll even listen long enough for that," Jasper said. "She's extremely angry. And we all know how stubborn she can be. I didn't even realize how many emotions she'd been harboring over this… I mean, I knew she still loved him; that was obvious. But I didn't know just how much you," he pointed at me, "had hurt her. What did you do?"

"I just left," I sighed. "I barely gave any explanation, and I just walked out of her life. I was so weak."

"You're telling me," Alice agreed. "Well, you've made your bed."

"Alice," Jasper admonished. "The guy is suffering, give him a—"

"No, she's right, Jasper." I stared at my hands. "I really screwed this up. I'm the one who did it, nobody else. And I don't see how it can be fixed."

Alice surprised me by wrapping one of her arms around my shoulders.

"We'll find a way, Edward," she placated. "But for now we've got bad news."

"More?"

Jasper nodded.

"Bella kind of… ran into someone yesterday… a guy." Alice's voice was quiet. "And she wants to go out with him. I don't think it'll last long, but you need to know."

As if Bella had heard this bombshell, she called Alice, and though I couldn't hear the exact words, I could her hear light voice ringing through the speaker. Impossibly, my heart shattered further when I found that she was calling them to inform them that she was going on a date with this new guy. I'd definitely lost my opportunity.

They pulled me to their house for a change of scenery. We'd hung out longer than I realized, and when I heard the sound of the doorknob, my stomach plummeted. There, in the doorway, stood my angel. She was radiant and beautiful. My heart followed my stomach as I took in her angry stare.

"Um… Hello, Bella," I said weakly. She still stood there looking at me. "I'm sorry." I was more sorry than she would ever know. "I didn't expect you to come home so early."

"Why are you standing there?" a male voice called from behind her. "I thought we were going inside."

The fragments of my heart disintegrated into nothing. This was their first date, and she'd already brought him here… to her home. I had no chance.

"I-I was just… um, leaving." I stammered, grabbing my coat and my shattered self-confidence. I pushed by Bella and her date to run out of the door.

* * *

A|N:

As always, thanks for reading.

I haven't been able to reply to last chapter's reviews but I will. I wanted to get this out for reader appreciation day. But I wanted to thank everyone who reviewed.

Thank you so much.


	10. Chapter 10 Earnest

The Twilight Twenty-five

**Prompt:** Earnest

**Pen name:** bonnysammy

**Pairing:** Edward/Bella

**Rating:** M

A\N:

Thanks to my betas from Project Team Beta--SayGoodbyeAgain, Jessica0306, and BookGeek80. You guys are unbelievable for working with me on this. (If there are any parts that are questionable about the storyline or wording, my beta who is below age does not get to see it. So she does a great job with the info she gets)

I hope you enjoy.

I do not own any of these characters, or the original plot to the Twilight Series. Everything publicly recognizable belongs to their owners. I am doing this only for the pleasure I gain from writing and I am not associated with anyone or anything to do with the Twilight Series. There is no financial benefit, whatsoever, though I may wish there were.

* * *

10 - Earnest

The look on Edward's face as he rushed past caused my heart to break even further. Seeing _his_ pain hurt me more than my own grief ever could. I entertained the idea that he missed me as much as I had missed him, but quickly turned my thoughts from that avenue. I knew what I had to do.

"Alice, Jasper, this is Jake." I introduced him to the others. "Can you wait here for a moment?" I looked up into Jake's near black eyes. "I just need to talk to an old friend. I'll be right back."

His eyebrows knitted together. "Sure."

I stepped out of the door, closing it behind me. Edward was nowhere to be seen. My heart plummeted, and I rushed down the hall to the stairs. As soon as I opened the fire door, I shouted, anticipating that he would hear my voice resounding within the enclosed space.

"Edward, wait! If you can hear me, please wait!"

I heard movement, but no steps. That was good. My heart began pounding rapidly in my chest as I ran down the stairs. About halfway down the second flight, I spotted him. He was standing on the landing before the last flight of stairs, staring up with a look of apprehension on his face.

"So…um," I began, suddenly uncomfortable and unsure of what I was going to say.

"Yeah… so." He looked down to the ground, toeing a non-existent flaw. The vision before me was so reminiscent of _me_ in our earlier days—I had been so nervous around Edward when I was a kid. If the situation hadn't been so tense, I would have laughed.

"Well, I'm sorry about back up there," I said, trying to move into his field of vision. "I, um, I didn't expect you to be here. It was just a shock." I smiled uneasily.

"It's okay," he whispered, still refusing to look in my eyes. "I understand."

"No. You don't." I raced to him and grabbed his shoulder. Even with his muscular body, I was able to move him slightly. "Please look at me," I begged. He lifted his gaze. The anguish displayed there was agonizing. I wondered why he was reacting this way. Could he still… No, definitely not. I forced myself to press on. "I was really horrible last time we saw each other. You know, the other night… at the bar." I was sure he was well aware of how bitchy I had been to him. "Well, anyway. I'm sorry I was so nasty. Even with what happened, you didn't deserve that."

"No," he said, shaking his head. Was he going to agree with me? "_I_ am the one who should apologize. I was wrong on so many occasions. I just popped up in your life after having left in such a terrible way. I hurt you when I left." He winced. "And I never even gave you an explanation or anything. You had every right to be angry with me. You still do. I shouldn't have expected… "

"I know," I answered, cutting him of with a nervous laugh. "The way you left wasn't really… ideal. But I think it's time to give up the bitterness… I'm willing to try at least. So, friends?" I raised my eyebrows at him, eager for him to accept the olive branch I was extending.

"Friends?" he asked. A sigh making his question sound doubtful. "I'm probably not the best…" Silence engulfed us as his voice gave out, and his eyes strayed to the wall before he spoke again. "I don't think I'm the best _friend_ for you."

"Oh, don't be so silly." I shook my head, releasing the breath I hadn't realized I was holding. I decided to try persuasion. "We had a friendship long before we had anything else. I think that was one of the biggest losses, your friendship." I hoped the sincere honesty of my intention echoed through my words.

"I don't know, Bella," he breathed. His argument was weakening, so I pounced.

"C'mon, Edward," I pleaded. My resolve to cut him out of my life completely had shattered completely, and I felt lighter than I had for as long as I could remember. "I'd rather have you in my life as a friend, than not have you at all. Let's just try." My appeal was earnest, and I willed him to believe in it.

His gaze shifted around the space, finally landing on my face after an endless amount of time. He stared into my eyes solemnly.

Those green eyes had always been able to read my every emotion. I didn't shy away as I had so many times in the past, choosing to let him see my heartfelt wish that we could be friends.

He sighed, his shoulders raising and lowering dramatically.

"I don't know… I mean, I'm not sure." His voice echoed in the empty stairwell, mimicking the hollowness threatening to eat a hole inside my stomach and chest. Looking at the floor, he shook his head solemnly. Then he walked down a few steps and sat, placing his butt on the landing.

His hand came up to pinch the bridge of his nose, a familiar gesture I had forgotten—it was comforting to see that some things hadn't changed. As I watched him, his appeal began to overwhelm me. I quickly pushed those thoughts away—how could I think of that at such a tense time.

"Bella, I'm just… unsure that friendship would be the best for either of us right now," he whispered, drawing my attention from his body and back to his soul. "I've missed you so much. And with being so close to you, how could I trust myself not to want more than just…"

He wanted more? I wanted more. Why couldn't we—no, Bella, stop that right now. You have a new man upstairs. A kind, sweet, handsome guy who is looking to start a relationship… with you. And, he's waiting… for you… in your apartment. Stop living in the past. You had your chance with Edward, and it didn't work out.

"If you don't think that you want to be friends… I understand." The intense emotional overload I had been experiencing over the last few days threatened to take me over once again—if it didn't stop soon, I feared some kind of meltdown.

"It's not that I don't want to. I don't know if I can." He looked to me again, his eyes beseeching me. For what I didn't know. Did he want me to walk away? To run to him and kiss him? To forgive him for all the hurt he had inflicted? I wasn't sure, and I didn't want to play twenty questions.

I couldn't take the torture that I was inflicting on either of us, so I finally gave in.

"Fine," I stated, turning away, my voice scarcely above a whisper. "Like I said, I understand." I started to make my way back up the stairs, my feet growing heavier with every step away from him. It took every ounce of strength I had not to run into his arms.

"No," he cried, his voice breaking. My determination withered and I stopped in my tracks. "Don't walk away. I-I can't take that… You're right. I'd rather be friends than nothing at all."

He stood and walked toward me holding his hand out. Upon grabbing his right hand in my own, the familiar current passed through me. I knew I had to ignore it. If I didn't, I would pull him to me and kiss him senselessly

"Friends," he said, shaking my hand. A small smile that didn't reach his eyes played upon his lips. "So we start over?" I nodded. He swallowed. "Okay. It's nice to meet you. My name is Edward Masen. What's yours?"

* * *

End Notes;

Thanks for reading and reviewing.

I have nothing funny or witty to add to the end of this chapter. Sorry. BookGeek80 was happy that they're talking, so we had no silly chats of alternate endings! lol


	11. Chapter 11 Honesty

The Twilight Twenty-five

**Prompt:** Honest

**Pen name:** bonnysammy

**Pairing:** Edward/Bella

**Rating:** M

A\N:

Thanks to my betas from Project Team Beta--SayGoodbyeAgain, Jessica0306, and BookGeek80. You guys are unbelievable for working with me on this. (If there are any parts that are questionable about the storyline or wording, my beta who is below age does not get to see it. So she does a great job with the info she gets)

I hope you enjoy.

I do not own any of these characters, or the original plot to the Twilight Series. Everything publicly recognizable belongs to their owners. I am doing this only for the pleasure I gain from writing and I am not associated with anyone or anything to do with the Twilight Series. There is no financial benefit, whatsoever, though I may wish there were.

* * *

11 – Honest

After my conversation with Edward, he left instead of returning with me to the apartment. As I walked back up the stairs, my thoughts returned to Jake. What would I tell him? What had Alice and Jasper told him? I looked at my watch. I had only been away about ten minutes. My sigh reverberated throughout the stairwell. My time away had been nowhere near as long as I had thought. The tense undertone of my conversation with Edward, made it feel like I'd been gone for hours, rather than minutes.

When I reached my floor, I saw Alice waiting by our front door. Her expression frightened me. She had never been this upset with me before, not even when I got my gum stuck in her hair and she wound up cutting it into a bob. A bob she still sported to this day.

She stormed over to me and reached me before I made it ten feet.

"What the _hell_ was that, Isabella?" she asked in an angry whisper. I was in for it; she was using my full name. "How could you leave Jasper and I there like that? It was really uncomfortable…for everyone."

"I'm so sorry," I wailed, breaking into sobs and leaned my back against the wall—evidently the stress of the earlier situation had taken its toll. "I d-didn't know w-what to do. J-Jake and I were having a g-great time." I stopped, gulping a few breaths in an attempt to calm myself. It helped slightly, and I was able to breathe smoothly enough to make my words more understandable. I bent my knees and sank to the floor. "I offered him a drink, and he came up with me. When I opened the door and saw Edward there, I was stunned. The look on Edward's face when he nearly flew through the door… it just… ripped me apart."

She squeezed me to her—I hadn't even noticed her arms wrap around me or the fact that she had sat down next to me. She rocked me forward and back slightly, like a mother consoling her child.

"It's okay," she said, her voice having lost all its earlier condemnation. "I understand it must have been hard. I just wish we'd had some warning. It might have been nice if you let me know you were planning to bring Jake up to the apartment. You know I hate having things thrown at me without warning. And well, this was a huge thing."

"I know. I know." My tears were flowing freely, soaking into Alice's expensive blouse.

"Shhh," she soothed.

"So, what did Jake say?" I asked. "What should I say to him?"

She laughed quietly, and I balked, wondering what humor she could have found in the situation.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing's funny, Bella," she answered. "Jake just thinks he's an old family friend who's been sick. And that you went to make sure he was okay."

"Well, I guess that's better than the truth," I said, breathing a sigh of relief. "What do you think I should tell him?"

"No, no, no." Her voice was all-business now. "You have to spill first. There's no way I'm telling you anything else without more info. So, what happened?"

"Alice," I grumbled. "We're going to try to be friends. It's obvious you guys like him, and I guess you're going to want to hang out with him."

"Yeah, yeah, he's a nice guy. And?"

"Well, I'd preferably have him as a friend, not an enemy. So… that's it. We're going to try."

"He didn't say anything else?" Her disbelief laced in every word.

How could I tell her that, after our last conversation, I thought he was still interested in me? I didn't want to go down that slippery slope. I knew that both she and Jasper were aware I wasn't over him, even with my display the night before.

"Yep, that's it." I wiped the drying tears from my eyes, finally thinking about what it would look like if I barged through the door with my face tear-stained. I couldn't exactly run off to the bathroom without calling even more attention to myself.

"Sure," she said, the skepticism oozing through her words.

"No, really. But enough about that. What do you think I should tell Jake?" Her face fell into a mask of concentration. "Should I keep up the lie that Edward's just an old friend and nothing more?"

She jumped up and held out her hand to help me stand. "Honestly?" she asked.

"Of course," I replied, grabbing a hold of her hand. She pulled me to my feet. "I wouldn't have asked otherwise."

She tapped her index finger to her lips in thought.

"Hmmm." He eyes grew distant as she considered the options. "Honesty is usually the best policy…"

She left her thought unfinished, but I knew what she was suggesting.

"Yeah, that would be _really_ great. I just went out on a date with you and dumped you at my door because my ex-boyfriend from ten years ago showed up, and I had to run after him. But no need to worry, we're just friends now… when do you want to go on another date?"

She snorted.

"Maybe that wouldn't be the _best_ way to word it," she said. "But you should tell the truth. Building a relationship on lies never works."

Her words wormed their way into my mind, weaving around the gears and causing them to stick. I couldn't see how telling Jake the whole truth would be beneficial to anyone.

"I'm not really lying if I tell him that Edward is an old friend," I hedged. "He is."

She frowned at me and shook her head.

"So you're going to going with that?" Her knitted eyebrows were almost comical above her fathomless eyes and delicate features.

I debated whether that was the best path to take. Finally, I decided that it may not be the most ideal way to begin a relationship, but it was the path I could live with. He would know that we were friends, so Edward and I seeing each other would not be odd. But he wouldn't become jealous that I was spending time with an ex-boyfriend, my first love. The man I still loved.

"Yes, I'm going to go with that." I nodded and started to walk towards the door.

"Well, we'll just say that I went to check up on him as well," Alice said. "That'll make an excuse as to why we were both gone so long."

"Sounds good," I agreed, glad that she was going along with my plan.

"Lies are not a solid foundation, B—"

"Don't start, Alice," I interrupted her lecture. "My decision is made."

"And I know how you are once a decision is made." She laughed. "You're both very similar it seems," she said under her breath. I wasn't sure I was supposed to hear her last comment, and I wasn't sure who else she was speaking about, so I didn't respond.

We walked to the door, and I pulled on her arm, stopping her.

"Do I look okay?" I tried smoothing my blouse and running my hands over my eyes, hoping my makeup hadn't smeared too much. When I pulled my hands away, they were not black—thank heaven for waterproof mascara.

"You look fine," she replied. "You'd never even know you've been crying. Ready?"

I took a deep breath and released it. "As ready as I'll ever be."

She swung the door open, and we walked into the living room. Jake and Jasper were enthralled by some sports game that was on the TV—good time for guy bonding.

"Hey, Jake," I called. "Sorry about that. Edward didn't look too well, and I wanted to check he was okay. Wanna drink now?"

He turned to me, a magnificent smile on his tan face.

"Nope," he answered holding up a glass. "Jasper already got me one. Your friends are great."

"Yes, they are," I agreed, eyeing Jasper purposely and walking over to Jake. I sat next to him, and he held out his hand for me to hold. I placed mine in his. "I'm really lucky to have them in my life."

He laughed and pulled me closer.

Just then, a commercial caught my attention. It was mentioning problems with flooding basements. It didn't hold my attention for very long, and I was about to turn to Jake to give him a hug, when Alice spoke.

"Like I always say, weak foundations…"

I sat up and glared at her. She just smiled back, looking almost angelic. Not wanting Jake to see the animosity, I wiped the scowl from my face and turned back to him, hoping he hadn't noticed the exchange with Alice.

"Listen, Jake, I hate to do this to you, but I'm really kind of tired. And I have work in the morning. Do you think we could call it a night?" I fought back my frustration with Alice, knowing that I really wasn't angry with her.

"Sure, babe." We stood up and walked to the door. My nerves flared as I wondered if I should kiss him or not. It was awkward. I hadn't dated in so long; I had no idea what was expected or appropriate to do.

I followed him out of the apartment. When he reached the door, he turned to me, and all apprehension melted away as I looked in his eyes. He leaned down to me and pressed his warm lips against mine, pulling my body against his. I hadn't kissed anyone in so long, and this felt like heaven. Even so, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't help but wish the lips against mine were Edward's.

He pulled away, slightly breathless, while my breathing hadn't increased.

"I'll call you tomorrow, if that's okay?" His nervous question struck me as adorable and allowed me a glimpse of a younger, less confident Jake. I laughed.

"Of course, silly."

He leaned in and kissed my forehead.

"Good night, Bells."

"Bells?" I questioned, wondering what had brought on that nickname.

"Oh, yeah," he stated with a sly grin. "That's what Jasper and Alice kept calling you. Do you mind?"

I smiled widely. It was clear he and my best friends had gotten along well.

"Not at all."

"Great!" He turned and walked to the end of the hall. Just before he walked through the door, the yelled back, "Talk to you tomorrow."

* * *

End notes:

I'm sorry to say this, but I don't think I'm going to finish by the end of the month. I'm having problems with chapter 17…but I'm plugging along. And, I've written 22 – 25, so It shouldn't be too long. I'm going to try my best to get it done, though.


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